
The cloud or subscription version of a product refers to software as a service (SaaS), which is essentially software licenses that you purchase and use on a subscription basis. Traditional Microsoft Office products, like Office 2021, fall under the on-premises umbrella. You install the software according to the license terms - in the case of Office, you have to purchase a license for each computer you want to install the software on. It's the traditional approach to software: You buy a license and you get a disc to install the software (or, more likely, you get directed to a place to download the software). In general, "on-premises" refers to software purchased on a per-license basis and installed on individual computers. What Do the Terms "On-Premises" and "Cloud" Mean, Anyway? In this article, we'll provide an overview of these two offerings to help you determine which is the right option for your organisation. Microsoft offers two flavours of its Office productivity suite: the subscription-based Office 365 and the on-premises editions of Office 2021. For even more juicy discounts, be sure to check out all of PCWorld’s best Prime Day deal selections.This article first appeared on the TechSoup Global website - thanks to them for sharing! If you can’t bear the thought of missing out on new features, here’s how to get Office 365 for cheap with a little legwork. That’s a bargain, so long as you can live with what you’re missing out on in the subscription offerings.

The Personal version of Microsoft 365 costs $70 per year, so buying the standalone Home & Student 2021 for $125 means you’ll be saving money if you stick with it for longer than a year and a half. These versions also won’t be updated to add new features as Microsoft rolls them out-another perk locked to the subscription model.īut a lot of people (including yours truly) would rather pay once for a standalone piece of software rather than forking out cash month-in and month-out, especially if all you need is the basics. It’s currently on sale for $220, down from its usual $250 price tag.īoth standalone suites come with 60 days of Microsoft support as opposed to ongoing support for Microsoft 365 subscribers. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 ups the ante by including the legendary Outlook, but you pay for the privilege, as it bumps up the cost.



This version of Office sticks to the basics: You only get Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but that’s plenty for most people. Microsoft Office Home & Student 2021 normally goes for $150, but you can snag it for $125 during Prime Day.
